Development of a two axis motion simulation system for thermal/vacuum satellite testing

A two-axis motion simulation system for thermal vacuum testing of large satellites in a space simulation chamber was developed. Satellites as large as 3000 kilograms with a 4-meter diameter and a 5-meter length can be tested. This motion simulator (MS) incorporates several unique features which result in a less complicated design with improved performance when compared to previous satellite motion simulators. The design of the simulator is discussed in detail

Statistical Approaches for Adding or Switching Hypotheses in Multi-armed Clinical Trials

As treatments become ready for testing at staggered times, it is desirable to have clinical trials that can accommodate different entry and exit times without prematurely discarding potentially efficacious treatments. In a group sequential multi-armed clinical trial, one treatment arm could be found to be superior or inferior at an interim analysis while the remaining arm is inconclusive. Existing methods address dropping an inferior arm from further study, , but do not fully address the handling of an early finding of overwhelming superiority of one arm (scenario 1). We consider an approach to transition from a multi-armed superiority trial to a two-armed non-inferiority trial after superiority for a single arm has been determined. Additionally, the literature does not address statistical methods for adding another treatment arm into an ongoing trial (scenario 2). Methods: For these novel scenarios, potential adaptive and nonadaptive analytical approaches for pairwise comparisons of a difference in means in independent normal populations are proposed with emphasis on controlling the type I error rate strongly. Statistical operating characteristics are compared via Monte Carlo simulation. An example is given using Parkinson\u27s disease data (NET-PD FS1 and FS-TOO). Results: For scenario 1, all methods performed similarly, but power was highest when using an inverse chi-square V adaptive test. For scenario 2, in the presence of a cohort effect, when data were pooled from before/after the design change, the type I error rate was inflated and power was reduced. The alternative approaches given were more powerful and controlled the type I error rate. Conclusions: When two treatment arms are equally efficacious, it is likely that one, but not the other, will be found efficacious at an interim analysis. When transitioning into a non-inferiority trial, the adaptive methods allow for a reduction in total sample size with increased power for testing non-inferiority (compared to a non-adaptive approach). Both adaptive and non-adaptive analytical methods are possible when a new treatment arm is added mid-study. When these methods are applied to real Parkinson\u27s disease trial data, the conclusions support the primary trial findings

Reconstructing 830 Simpson Avenue; An Archaeological Investigation of Household Life Cycles in a 19th and 20th Century Working-class Neighborhood

The Simpson Avenue site is a household site dating to the 19th and 20th centuries. It is located on Hamline University’s current campus in the ‘backyard’ of the White House. The site was discovered during the fall of 2013 by the Excavating Hamline History class. While our original intention was to find a shed structure pictured on an 1886 plat map, we discovered a post-hole and an intact cultural deposit. A 2x1 meter test unit and six shovel tests were conducted on the property that determined site boundaries and the vertical and horizontal distribution of artifacts and features. The excavation units show clear soil changes that define the fluctuating use in landscape at the site. The home originally on this property, the 830 Simpson Avenue house, created an assemblage of 19th and early 20th century artifacts over time. While the assemblage from the site was relatively small, the artifact analysis showed the presence of women in terms of the kitchen refuse associated with women’s roles, the clothing components, and personal items of women and girls. Similarly, the archival analysis helped place women at the site during the time period consistent with our intact assemblage, indicating they were active participants in creating the assemblage. By the 1940’s this site had undergone a variety of changes in occupation and site use as well as construction to the house. Ownership of the home was private until 1916 when it was purchased by Hamline University. Students began residing in the homes all along Simpson Avenue (between Hewitt and Wesley avenue), and eventually these homes were rented to individual families. In 1946, the 830 house was moved to a new location and became 862 Simpson Ave. In place of the 830 house, the White House was moved onto the property. The construction and demolition debris observed in the soil stratigraphy indicates the crucial change from a residential neighborhood to the landscape influenced by university expansion. From 1946 on, the White House has remained in the same location on Hamline campus with remnants of the original Midway neighborhood just below our feet

Elm Tree Restaurant Glounthaune, Morning Menu, 28th August 2014

https://arrow.tudublin.ie/menus21c/1093/thumbnail.jp

Financial Report, 2006

This resource is one among many in the UMSLCAB open dataset at IRL.UMSL.edu/CABhttps://irl.umsl.edu/cab/1434/thumbnail.jp

Factors influencing delays in patient access to new medicines in Canada: a retrospective study of reimbursement processes in public drug plans

© 2019 Salek, Lussier Hoskyn, Johns, Allen and Sehgal.Individuals who rely on public health payers to access new medicines can access fewer innovative medicines and must wait longer in Canada compared to major markets around the world. New medicines/indications approved by Health Canada and reviewed for eligibility for reimbursement by the Common Drug Review or the pan-Canadian Oncology Drug Review (CDR/pCODR) from the beginning of 2012 through to the end of December 2016 were analyzed, with data taken from the relevant bodies’ websites and collected by IQVIA. This analysis investigated individual review segments – Notice of Compliance (NOC) to Health Technology Assessment (HTA) submission, HTA review time, pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA) negotiation time, and public reimbursement decision time, and analyzed the trends of each over time and contributions to overall time to listing decisions. Average overall timelines for public reimbursement after NOC were long and most of this time is taken up by HTA and pCPA processes, at 236 and 273 days, respectively. This study confirms that Canadian public reimbursement delays from 2013-2014 to 2015-2016 lengthened from NOC to listing (Quebec + 53%, first provincial listing + 38%, and country-wide listing + 22%), reaching 499, 505, and 571 days, respectively. Over the same period, time from NOC to completion of HTA has increased by 33%, and time from post-HTA to first provincial listing by 44%. The pCPA process appears to be the main contributor to this increasing time trend, and although some provinces could be listing more quickly post-pCPA, they appear to be listing fewer products. Reasons for large delays in time to listing include the many-layered sequential process of reviews conducted before public drug plans decide whether to provide access to new innovative medicines. Although there has been some headway made in certain parts of the review processes (e.g., pre-NOC HTA), total time to listing continues to increase, seemingly due to the pCPA process and other additional review processes by drug plans. More clarity in the pCPA and provincial decision-making processes and better coordination between HTA, pCPA, and provincial decision-making processes is needed to increase predictability in the processes and reduce timelines for Canadian patients and manufacturers.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio